Unexpectedly, Abe finds herself thrust alone into the world after escaping too many years kept in stasis – her aristocratic mother’s notion of keeping her daughter safe and pure. Now grown up and with little experience, Abe finds the world mysterious and fascinating, but also confusing and challenging. Even more so when she takes a whack to her head and briefly loses her memory only to be found by Jericho, a Jinn warrior, who is inexplicably drawn by her. All too soon, Jericho realizes he has plans for Abe and yet he is also at war with himself about snap decisions he’s making when it comes to this beautiful female - who dropped a bomb on him with her arrival in his life. By a simple tilt to her chin, she dares him to deny what she wants when she wants it. Not used to handling a strong female who knows what she wants – throws Jericho off balance. A powerful Jinn, he’s not used to the way Abe pushes him at every turn. All too soon, he realizes that no way is she easily malleable and somewhat pliable – as he wrongly assumed. Jericho learns fast that it isn’t about him, it’s about Abe, what she wants, how she wants it and to hell with the why. Sexual tension between them is irresistibly palpable. Jericho’s fantasies are all about him using his considerable skill to seduce her to his way of thinking so they can drop to the floor – any floor - and have raw sex. Yeah, he wants to work that angle. Except, Abe is tested in ways never expected – evil and violence threaten her first taste of true freedom, bringing Jericho to a hard, infallible conclusion. Will Abe succeed in a world she knows so very little about? Can she cope with having Jericho Sullivan - her ideal Fantasy 101 male – so close and not give in to what her mind and body crave? Will she ever be truly free?

Jericho (The Jinn Cycle – Book One)

by Nini Church

I think this is the start of a beautiful addiction.

I received an email from an author asking me to check out the blurb for Jericho to see if it might be something I’d like. Now, my reading and reviewing schedule is pretty damn full at the moment, but this book caught my attention from the blurb alone. I had to make time for it and I’m so bloody glad I did. Jericho is my favourite type of paranormal romance. We have big tough alpha males who struggle with emotions but can’t deny the attraction or devotion once their mates are in sight. We then have baddies that make your skin crawl and you love to hate. Add to that, we have an intelligent and funny heroine who has her own powers and they are AWESOME and you have got one hell of a good read.

Jericho is the King of the Jinn. One day he is overcome with a deep sense of purpose to go on a mission. He doesn’t know what the mission will involve and is uncertain exactly where he is heading. All he knows is that he HAS to go and go NOW. He feels a desperation he has never felt before and the closer he gets there the more his inner system goes haywire. There’s this smell that is taking over and he needs to find its source. When he eventually arrives and find an abandoned building with crumbling walls he’s at a loss to what he’s looking for…UNTIL…the earth moves. Well, not the earth, more the wall and what he finds under that wall nearly makes his heart stop. She’s beautiful, mesmerising and he’s going to keep her.

Abe wakes up with no memory in a strange house. Everything feels strange and off but she’s not sure who she is, why she’s there and if she’s safe. In leaving the bed and bedroom on a mission to find sustenance, she realises she’s in the land of giants. Well, they’re giants compared to her. This house is full of big and beautiful men but there is one in particular who seems familiar to her. He at first seems like he is attracted to her, but then his eyes start going cold. Abe feels even more lost and alone and with no memory, she isn’t sure what her next step should be. What happens next changes everything.

Jericho has been avoiding Abe because he never wanted a mate. He knows she will be too much of a distraction. When he finds out that a spiteful enemy by the name of Tess has her captive, he realises he hasn’t done his job of protecting the most important person in his life. If and when he gets her back, he is determined to let her know how important she is to him and vows to attach them in the mating ceremony.

This story is fast paced and very easy to read. There are steamy scenes when Jericho and Abe finally come together. They are not over the top but just proof that they have a strong bond. The additional characters were fun to meet and very different. We also get to meet different races besides the Jinn. While at times they come together in peace, there are evil vampires and demons that can plague them all. I did find towards the end that they story dragged a little, but it all had its purpose in the end.

Really enjoyed Jericho and I definitely plan to read the second story which involves one of Jericho’s warriors, Reno.

A casual glance over her shoulder revealed a tall male in all his gorgeous glory – roped with hard muscle and handsome beyond words.
Damn, she hoped he had been the one who undressed her!
Color stained her cheeks, but she didn’t turn away, making every effort to also imprint his image in her mind – standing tall and proud in that doorway, his big shadow cutting into the early morning light cascading behind him. He had a sexy, inviting smile with a hint of longing in his incredible intense blue eyes and a tilt to his strong chin demanding attention.
No doubt, he got attention as often as he wanted looking like that.
Truly a beautiful male – straight black hair dusted his broad muscular shoulders, framing his handsome face with thick black brows and true blue eyes. Those deep blue eyes cut to the chase – holding hers for a second or two – as heated flashes of pleasure ran up and down her body. Eyes drifting lower, she followed the line of his strong nose when his mouth captured her attention and she lingered there – his sensuous lips slightly parted and just waiting for her kisses.
Fantasy 101 – in the flesh.
A big male, he stood at least six foot five inches tall with a broad well muscled chest that narrowed at his waist, topping thighs like tree stumps. He wore black – jeans, silk shirt opened to reveal his muscled chest – right down to his big cowboy style boots. An aura of command and power clung to him, yet he appeared casually in control by the hard set of his shoulders and hands loose at his sides – all clear signs this male was a natural born leader.
Well aware she was mooning at him – it was hard not to notice his chiseled features had turned dark and brooding, telling he wasn’t happy to see her.
Shocked and surprised by her intense reaction, a shiver crawled up the back of her neck.
Jericho took note of her shiver and her wet hair, furious that she was out of bed when she clearly wasn’t ready. Dark shadows beneath her eyes revealed the effort it had taken her to bathe and come downstairs. Her bare feet startled the hell out of him. “What are you doing up?” His sharp tone demanding an instant answer.
She sighed. Maybe it had all been a part of one of those crazy dreams she’d had, feeling the warmth of his voice tethering her. But, at this moment, he sure didn’t sound soft and soothing – his voice now hard and mean, but worse by far – commanding.
Glancing over her shoulder again – it was all too evident the big male in the doorway gave the orders around here. Right now, he appeared utterly cold – a male who never gave in to emotion – all male all the time.
Yet, he took her breath away – a pleasurable assault on all fronts – visually, mentally and physically.
Mmhmm.
Best eye candy ever.Jericho